The Secrets We Keep
by Katana-Shigure
Summary: Smoker does something terrible to drive Tashigi into Zoro's arms, but was it really his choice? And how exactly does a marine learn to love a pirate? Zoro x Tashigi Don't let chapter one fool you!
1. The Disgraceful Act

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This is set after Alabasta and is independent of any other story arc.

Summary: Tashigi and Zoro learn that there is more than one path in life that leads you to your dreams, and that sometimes, forgiveness goes a long way.

Chapter 1 The Disgraceful Act

The cabin was dim and hazy, but she did not see it. The chilled night air carried the scent of smoke and the salty sea spray, yet she could not smell it. Nor could she hear the waves batter the sides of the ship, or feel the chill of the air on her sweat-slicked body. She was numb to it, to all of it.

Tashigi sat in the center of Smoker's bed, clutching the crisp white regulation sheets to her bare chest. Silent tears ran like rivers down her face, soaking the sheet covering her lap. The scene from a few short moments ago played again and again in her mind. How could it have all gone so badly?

It was unreal, the way it all seemed to come together, then abruptly fall apart. Tashigi was always the awkward child, the klutz. She was never as pretty as the other girls, or as athletic and talented as the boys, but her father had never given up on her. He was a swordsman, and a great one at that. He trained Tashigi until she was old enough to follow her own paths, which lead her to the Navy, to Captain Smoker, to justice and her purpose in life.

To this day she had never quite known what happened to her the night she was kidnapped. A young girl was never to be walking alone at night in Louge Town, but Tashigi was foolishly overconfident in her abilities. She was walking down an alley, a shortcut home, when someone hit her over the head, knocking her unconscious.

She awoke on the hard, dirty deck of a dilapidated ship. The sounds of flesh meeting flesh, fists cracking bones, and bodies hitting wood echoed in her ears. Tashigi feigned unconsciousness until the sounds of the beatings stopped. When nothing but her own breathing and the lap of the East blue waves could be heard, she tentatively opened her eyes and saw _him. _

Smoker had saved her. She never got up the nerve to ask how, or for that matter why, but from that day on, she was his. Smoker's battles became her own. His goals hers, his dreams hers. She wanted to be successful and to make him successful, but she was never good enough, never exactly what he needed.

She was a girl. No one took her seriously as a swordsman. No one of any real merit besides Smoker took notice of her, feared her, or respected her. Those who did take the time to recognize her rank and ability did so because she was "Smoker's dog."

Regardless of the rumors, there had never been a personal relationship between them. She was his lackey, and he was on a mission…and she wanted to please him so much, that her every failure hurt. They cut deep like a hot katana through the heart. Roanoa Zoro was a failure. The Straw Hat Crew was a failure, and each one cut deeper by the day.

They were on a hunt; Captain Smoker and his Sergeant Major, to find the only pirate crew to ever slip through their grasp. To Smoker, it was personal that that Straw Hat pirate, his brother, and their crew were sailing the grand line instead of hanging from the gallows. To Tashigi, it was one Pirate in particular that haunted her dreams. Roanoa Zoro had humiliated her, beat her, shown her unwanted mercy, and insulted her. It was her mission in life to take him down and regain her pride…but then there was Alabasta.

Despite herself, she let the Straw Hat Crew go in Alabasta on the rainy evening after the war. She may have been Smoker's dog, but she wasn't blind. Those pirates had done something great. They took out Crocodile. She let them go.

A week later, she received a summons to Smoker's chambers. She knew he had been frustrated lately. He had even taken to a bit of drinking in the evening to calm himself. Everyday those pirates sailed towards One Piece, Smoker became more irate…more unpredictable. Perhaps Smoker had a plan that he wanted to relay…or maybe he just needed someone to blame.

She looked every bit the part of a composed officer of the Navy Armada as she proudly marched to the Captain's Cabin. Her insides, however, were quaking like a jellyfish in a cloud of plankton. Her nose picked up the aroma of cigar smoke as she descended the stairs; little whiffs of smoke escaped from under the solid oak door.

Tashigi raised a clammy hand and knocked on the door. It opened as if on its own accord. More than likely it simply wasn't latched well. Smoker sat on the side of his bed, his head in his hands, twin trails of smoke rose into the air, twisting like dancing sea snakes. Tashigi shut the door behind her. They were alone.

He was on her quicker than she could blink. His hot body pressed her to the door and his steely eyes bore into her own.

"Tashigi…" He whispered her name

Tashigi couldn't breath. Her breath caught in her chest while confusion clouded her mind. She wasn't sure if he wanted to kiss her or kill her, but even still, all she wanted was to please him.

"You think because you are a woman, that you can not please me, Tashigi." Smoker spoke in a whisper, assaulting Tashigi's senses with a wisp of smoky breath.

"We shall see," he growled, throwing the girl on the bed

He was angry, and she could feel it radiating off him like the trails of smoke he often left behind. His movements were rough, jerky, and hungry. Smoker's mouth was hot and fast on her body, his cigars long forgotten, cast to the floor and snubbed out in favor of more tasty prey.

Tashigi tried to keep up, her mind whirling in confusion. She had wanted this for so long, to please Smoker. She strived her whole life to find something she could do to make her rescuer and Captain happy. Perhaps, this is what she needed to be for him. As rough, callused hands stroked and kneaded her body, Tashigi decided that the best she could do was simply let him take of her.

She had no real clue what it was she was doing anyway. When his hands traveled her body, she moved to give him access. When his tongue found her neck, she shivered in shock. When his knees spread her legs, she hid her fear as only the Navy could have trained her to do.

When his thick member tore her open, she bit her tongue to stifle her scream. When the tears began to fall, she covered her face with her hands. When his body jerked in release, she held his face in her hands.

It was over as quickly as it began. Smoker rolled off his Sergeant Major and again sat on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands. Tashigi leaned over and ran a hand across his sculpted, broad shoulders, but the gesture was shirked away.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

She was caught off guard; an apology wasn't what she had expected. Again, she reached out to him, but he brushed her hand away from his body.

"I shouldn't have done that…you're my subordinate…and Hina…I…I shouldn't have done that. I think it's best if you were to be transferred. We will dock at Autumn Haven Island. There's a base there. You can help them until a ship is scheduled for Lougetown. I will contact Hina and she will reassign you."

Smoker quickly threw on his pants and lit two new cigars before leaving his cabin, slamming the door behind him. Tashigi sat on his bed, numb.

Her mind was still having problems wrapping around exactly what had just happened. The only thing that rang true was that she was to be reassigned. Hina wasn't an unintelligent woman. She had known Smoker since they were children, and she would pick up that something was wrong. To make matters worse, Tashigi was certain the woman had staked a claim on Smoker. She shuddered as she imagined her new desk job.

There would be whispers among the officers. No one was abruptly reassigned in the middle of a mission unless something terribly wrong occurred. To make matters worse, Autumn Haven was three Islands away, at least a week's sailing in fair weather. It was going to be a long, painful week.

The mere thought of what her life was to become was nauseating. She wouldn't get the chance to fight, to serve justice to those who pillaged the sea. She wouldn't get to hunt down great swords and free them from the grasp of those vile pirates. She wouldn't be able to hunt Roanoa Zoro, seizing his swords and regaining her pride. She would never get to live out her dreams.

Tashigi shakily sat on the side of the bed as she bent down to lace her boots. As she looked up from her task, she noticed a box hidden under Smoker's desk. Curious as to what Smoker wanted to keep from the crewmen, she reached for it, determined to know _something _personal about the man who had cast her aside like a burned up cigar.

The wooden box was smooth and deep, but light. It couldn't be gold, too light. Tashigi's mind tried to stop her as she fingered the brass latch. It was wrong. It was dishonest. This was something personal, something only his own. However, the heart is a powerful force, especially when broken, and Tashigi suddenly couldn't care less about what was right and what was wrong.

Quietly, she opened the box and peaked inside. There were no maps, no documents, no gold…but it was certainly a treasure. Tashigi gasped as her fingers brushed against the lush flesh of the devil fruit. Smoker himself had eaten the Smoke Smoke fruit. Buggy the clown ate the Chop Chop fruit, and Monkey D. Luffy the Gum Gum fruit. Tashigi's mind went into overdrive as she thought of the possibilities.

The Navy was no longer the haven it had been for her. She couldn't live out her dreams of justice once she was shipped back to Louge Town. Her heart soared as dark thought entered her mind. She could still live out her dreams. She could go on alone. She herself could serve justice and recover the great swords. She could sail the grand line and hunt Roanoa Zoro.

As she crouched over the box, deciding what to do, Smoker's voice drifted down from the deck. He was back, and whatever Tashigi was going to do, she was going to have to do it quickly. Without thinking, she stuffed the fruit in her mouth as she fled the cabin to her own to retrieve her sword.

Her insides churned as the transformations in her body took place. She barely made it to her room before she doubled over in pain. Tashigi clutched her stomach as she tried to stand, reaching her free hand towards her sword, neatly hanging on the wall.

She gasped as she spied her outstretched hand. It was changing shades…pale to tan skin, dark, almost black, and back to pale again. Again, she heard Smoker's gruff voice, and through her pain and shock, she grabbed her sword and left with nothing more than the cloths on her back, the blade in her grasp, and the devil fruit churning in her belly.

Author's Note: Well, I have a few more chapters of this written. Please review. I'll post regardless, but feedback is nice, too. Tashigi and Zoro have to be my favorite anime couple. I'd love to see more fics out there! If you're a fan too, get to those keyboards and type!

Katana-Shigure (lemonnpuff to those of you on zoroxtashigi group)


	2. Forbidden Fruit

To Lady Zoro, thank you for your wonderful review. I hope to not dissapoint. To the others who read my story, thanks a bunch! The rest of this may be a little slow going. I'm getting married in seven weeks, and things are getting a bit hectic. I will try to post as often as possible though. For those of you who are looking for a little romance and fluff...i thinks i'll put some in there somewhere ;) Also, give smoker a chance...you never know what HIS side of the story might be!

Chapter 2: Forbidden Fruit

She was sore. Oh, goodness was she sore. Her whole body felt like it had been battered against the sea floor by unforgiving waves. Slowly, Tashigi began to come to, and realized she was lying on the most uncomfortable bed she had ever slept on.

As she opened her eyes, she promptly shut them again. The sting of the sun's harsh rays was too much for her weary eyes. She shifted, and as she did she felt not sheets but sand beneath her fingertips. Fully awake now, Tashigi took in her surroundings as she tried to remember how she got to such a desolate stretch of beach.

The previous evening slowly crept back into her mind. In an amazing amount of pain, Tashigi fled the Armada on a small escape vessel. The ship had set a course for Autumn Haven Island, but first it had to pass two smaller ones. The spring island of Valley View and the summer island of Forrest Creek were parallel to each other on the grand line. Tashigi wasn't sure which one she landed on in the middle of the night.

Fresh tears sprung into her eyes as she realized that her life truly was over now. She was no longer in Captain Smoker's favor. She was a Navy deserter, and she had stolen the devil fruit. She didn't even know what the fruit did besides change her skin color. The more she thought about it, the more she felt she had made a big mistake.

The more he thought about it, the more he thought he had made a big mistake. Tashigi had always been his most loyal and just marine. He should have trusted her judgment. Yes, he was angry, but he shouldn't have let his emotions get a hold of himself like that.

He had always found the girl alluring, but he had never planned to act on it. She was a naïve child, always doing what she was told, when she was told to do it. Smoker liked his women more seasoned, spunkier, and more sensual.

The longer the Straw Hat Pirates sailed the Grand Line, the angrier Smoker became. They were the only pirates to escape his grasp, and their defiance fueled his rage. His rage turned his emotions into passionate and obsessive sensations that clouded his judgment. He called Tashigi to his chambers. She shared his hatred of these pirates, perhaps they could share in their rage.

Smoker sat on the side of his bed, mulling over his thoughts. The longer Tashigi took to arrive, the longer he had to think about ho similar they were. He needed her comfort, and that too made him angry. It was as if all his emotions were heightened, spinning out of control.

When she entered his cabin, he was on her in an instant. He didn't event think as he allowed his rage, his need for emotional release to take over. She was a beautiful, strong woman, and she felt good in his rough hands. She was devoted to him…he needed her.

His passion triggered his release, and with it his common sense came flooding back. He had taken his Sergeant Major to bed. He had taken her with no thought as to what she wanted, felt, or needed in a lover. He hadn't cared what she wanted, and he was disgusted in himself. He dismissed her after using her body for his own release.

Since the night he happened upon a seedy pirate ship in his port and found the helpless Tashigi lying unconscious on the deck, Smoker had had a soft spot for her. He caudled her when she was a teenager, and coveted her as a young woman. She was innocence, naiveté, and justice rolled into one, and no one was going to change that. She was _his _Tashigi…and he had broken her.

In the wee hours of the morning, he knew what he had to do. The Captain made his way to his Sergeant Major's quarters. He needed to talk to her, to apologize, and to make sure she was all right.

He knew he was unforgiving to her body the night before. He only hoped she would understand, to be the same eager to please Tashigi she had always been. He needed to make it right, but deep in his gut he knew…he would never be the one to make it right. It may never be right…

He knocked at her door, but there was no answer. It wasn't time for her to be up yet, so he knocked again, wanting to give her an opportunity to come to the door. Smoker waited, and still there was no Tashigi.

He was beginning to let his frustration and worry win out. He had to talk to her! How the hell was she going to tell him that everything was all right if she wouldn't answer the damn door? Smoker pounded on her door, splintering the wood and knocking it off its hinges. The dust cleared and Smoker squinted to adjust his vision to the darkened room. Tashigi wasn't in bed. Her room was untouched. Nothing was out of place. Perhaps she was already up.

The Captain used the glowing butt of one of his cigars to light an oil lamp on Tashigi's desk. He scanned the small room, wondering if he really knew the girl he had much-admired these past few years.

She had next to no personal belongings. Her bed was made perfectly to Navy regulation, complete with regulation sheets and blue blankets. Her desk had no pictures, only a clock, and the pen set she was awarded when she was raised in rank, a stapler, a paperweight, and the now glowing oil lamp.

There wasn't a speck of paper in the wastebasket, a sock peeking out from under the bed, or a dresser drawer ajar. Everything was Navy regulation perfect, right down to the bare wall and the empty rack that help Shigure, Tashigi's prized sword.

A lighting bolt went off in Smoker's head. If Shigure was gone…then so was Tashigi.

"ALL HANDS ON DECK!" He shouted loud enough to wake the dead sleeping in their sunken ships at the bottom of the ocean.

Quickly officers of the Naval Armada ran from their quarters to the deck in various forms of dress. Needless to say they were all disheveled due to the hour.

"Where is Sergeant Major Tashigi?" Smoker bellowed to his crew.

No one spoke up. Tashigi was nowhere in the crowd, and it was obvious that no one else knew where she was either.

"Well…FIND HER! I DON'T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO TEAR THE SHIP APART! FIND HER!" Smoker screamed, ominous smoke rising from his body like steam off hot pavement on a rainy day.

The men scurried to find Tashigi.

Tashigi struggled to her feet and looked around. This was defiantly a summer island on the Grand Line. It had to be Forrest Creek. The sun was warm and sand was cool and wet. The forest behind her was ripe with lush trees dotted with berry bushes and flowering plants.

In the distance Tashigi could hear the rushing of a small river and hoped it would lead her to drinking water. She grasped her sword and used it as a machete to cut back the thick growth. She was lucky to happen upon raspberry bushes on her journey towards the water, and eagerly ate the sweet red and black berries.

The vegetation grew denser the closer she got to the sound of water, and she struggled to get through the thorny bramble. With one final slash of her sword, Tashigi stumbled out of the forest and onto the banks of a burbling brook.

The water was cool, clear and refreshing, and the now ex-marine eagerly drank the sweet water. Gingerly, Tashigi washed her face and the cuts on her arms from the unforgiving berry bushes. She grumbled at the sight of the red slashes on her arm, and desperately wished for her creamy skin again.

Suddenly, her arms began to tingle, not unpleasant, but noticeable. Tashigi gasped as she watched the scrapes on her arms disappear, leaving only pale, creamy flesh behind. He mind raced as she thought of the possibility that the fruit she had eaten had given her the ability to heal herself. She sprung to her feet, eager to discover more about her body, but her muscles screamed in protest.

Focusing all her energies on her sore muscles, Tashigi wished to be limber again. Gently, she tried flexing her muscles, but to her despair, she was still sore. Grumbling, she sat back down and stared at her reflection in the brook. Obviously, it wasn't a healing fruit.

Being a somewhat intelligent girl, Tashigi put her mind to work. When she was trying to escape the ship, her skin had changed tone. When she was upset about her skin looking terrible from the bushes, her skin turned creamy white.

Experimentally, Tashigi imagined her scratches to be back on her body, and low and behold, they came back. Intrigued, she imagined her skin to be tanned, and her skin began to darken. Excitedly, Tashigi looked at her reflection in the brook. She stared back at herself; only with the best tan she had even gotten in her life.

Wondering what else she could do, Tashigi concentrated on her eyes, changing them from dark brown to a stunning blue. Next, she looked at her hair, and it became lighter and lighter until she reached blond.

Tashigi sat back on her heels for a moment and thought. She had heard tales of several different cursed devil fruits. The Smoke Smoke, Gum Gum, Chop Chop, and Slip Slip were just a few. There was the Rock Rock, the Pow Pow, the Mask Mask…

"That's it!" Tashigi shouted, scaring a flock of roosting birds from the tress into the sky.

The Mask Mask fruit. It allows the person to change his or her appearance at will, like putting on a mask whenever they wanted. Tashigi could hardly contain her excitement. She needed a way to blend into her surroundings, and this was just the gift from the gods she needed to do it.

For the next few hours, Tashigi sat on the banks of her brook, practicing her newfound talent. Her hair color, eye color, and body shape changed faster and faster until she had it down to second nature. It was remarkable how quickly she was able to pick up her new abilities.

The Sun was low in the sky before Tashigi had become set on a disguise. Never one to stand out, at first she entertained thoughts of lush lips, flowing locks, bright blue eyes and big breasts. However, the more she thought about it, the more she thought that it would be better to blend in.

With an audible sigh, Tashigi took one final look at herself before she decided to try to find a town. Her black hair had been changed to brown and had been lengthened to her shoulder blades. Her dark eyes were now a pale hazel, and her body was plain and common. Her only worry was her jacket, which bore the Navy emblem. If she found a town, she would be sure to ditch it. As far as she was concerned, Sergeant Major Tashigi of the Navy Armada disappeared last night, washed away by the waves.


	3. He was the Hunter

I had to delete the chapter and repost it with breaks becuase the spacing was wrong. I hope it reads better this time.

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Chapter 3: He Was The Hunter

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Roanoa Zoro sighed as he perused the vacant stretch of beach before him.

"When I become the greatest swordsman in the world, I'm gonna kill Luffy." Zoro spoke to himself.

It was, after all, Luffy's desire to find a musician to join the crew that enabled Zoro to be standing on an island all alone in the Grand Line. Granted, people would have to be ten kinds of stupid to challenge a man such as Zoro, not that Zoro minded a challenge, but it still was not what he wanted to be doing.

He was a warrior, a master swordsman, and he had an oath to fulfill. He was to be the greatest swordsman in the world, and he was going to do it with Kuina's sword. He was _not, _however, a delivery boy to be sent to find someone to entertain Luffy. Never the less, here he stood. Luffy was his Captain, his Nakama, and Zoro was his first mate. It was his duty to his friends to do as Luffy asked.

He had volunteered to go alone to Forrest Creek. Though he may not have been fond of the mission, he was fond of the idea of a vacation from his crew. They were his family now, and he loved each of them, even the ass-hole cook, but everyone needs a break every now and then. Especially Zoro, he had a lot to come to terms with.

He was the hunter. _The _Hunter. Roanoa Zoro, the bounty hunter who used bandit sailors as practice and payment to further his own twisted desires. Now, he was one of them. Not only that, he himself now had a bounty on his head, but was it worth it?

He had made an oath to Kuina the night before she died. One of them was to become the best. One of them would defeat all other swordsmen until only one remained. The other, of course, would be second best. But she died. She fell down the stairs while going to sharpen her blade, Wadou Ichimonji. Zoro now had to be the best, for her.

Now, he was a pirate, a noble pirate if there were such a thing, but a pirate nonetheless. He got to fight more tough rouges than he ever would have on his own. He stood up against Hawkeyes Mihawk and lost, but lived. He trained harder and longer than ever before…but still, his heart ached.

He loved his Nakama; there was no doubt in that. But he missed her… Kuina. He missed having that one person in his life that was his driving force. She was his rival, and his friend. They were just children when she died, but he felt the pain of loss to this day. His Nakama were his family, but there wasn't that one person…that person that was only his…only his friend, or even his rival. They were all one big happy bunch…but through all of that, Zoro found himself lonely.

So he isolated himself. He knew he didn't have to, but he did. Luffy loved everyone, and everyone loved Luffy. Sanji loved Nami, and Usopp and Chopper had each other. As for Robin…he still didn't quite know how to handle her. He trusted her more now, but he just didn't know her. He was alone, even if it was by his own making.

Zoro was too lost in his thoughts and hadn't realized he had been walking through his musings until he came to an abandoned boat on the shore. He shook his melancholy thoughts from his head in favor of being aware of his surroundings.

The boat was covered with drying sand, but the bright blue emblem painted on the side was still painfully evident. It was a navy escape boat. The hunter kicked in as Zoro scanned for the boat for information. It looked like it hadn't been attended to in days, but no longer than that. It meant that there was possibly a naval officer roaming this island, and he had to be careful. He searched the beach, but any signs of footprints had been blown away in the sand. His eyes went to the forest line, and if he hadn't have known what to look for, he would have missed it. There was a small path, freshly cut down, just beyond the berry bushes.

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She could have kicked herself for believing deserting the navy would be easy. A missing Sergeant Major was a huge uproar, especially when there were rumors flying about how exactly Captain Smoker's favorite marine disappeared. Smoker must have realized she was missing long before Tashigi had expected. Posters with her face, description, and reward were posted in the windows of every business. She suspected that it was the same on similar Islands. Apparently, word travels fast.

Tashigi stopped to examine a poster hastily hung in the window of a dress shop. Her real face stared back at her, with a 1,00,000 beli reward plastered above her head. It was then that she realized her grave oversight. Tashigi was listed to have two highly noticeable characteristics, her red, square glasses, and her sword, Shigure. The poster read that anyone in possession of items fitting this description was to be brought to the Naval base on Autumn Haven for questioning.

Tashigi gritted her teeth. Smoker knew her too well. He knew that she couldn't see without her glasses, and that she would rather die than give up her sword. As long as she possessed these items, she was a sitting duck. She needed a safe place to hide.

Walking as casually as possible, Tashigi turned back to the dirt road that ran along the forest edge. She needed to get away from all these people before someone took notice of the rather distinctive sword on her hip. Unfortunately for Tashigi, she was never able to do anything, especially walking, casually. Before she knew she was falling, Tashigi was smashing into the ground, tangled in her own feet.

"All right there, girly?" Came a gruff voice from a shop door.

Tashigi looked up to see a rough looking man staring at her from his one good eye. He stood in the doorway of a shop that Tashigi immediately recognized. It was the town weaponry. Just her luck.

The man let his eye sweep to the sword on her hip and back up to her face. Tashigi had never felt so small as she did being examined by this man. He obviously knew whom she was, because he inclined his head into his shop, holding the door open so that she may enter.

"If I were you, Darlin', I'd get your sweet arse out of that street before someone gets a good look at ya." The man suggested, his dark, fuzzy eyebrow lifted high above his now glittering black eye.

Reluctantly, Tashigi got to her feet and followed. The weaponry was small, but not insufficient. It had a certain charm to it that only a true warrior could appreciate. The walls had been white washed and were adorned with battle-axes, swords, staffs, and, and guns. Low level shelved were stocked with ammunition, sharpening stones, polishing cloths, and oils. All of the high quality swords were displayed behind the clerk's desk.

The man watched Tashigi as she took in her surroundings. Most of the women who entered his shop read like a book. Most of his female clientele were actually picking up a small item for someone else. They walked into the shop and seemed to shrink, allowing the shop to swallow them up, afraid that the weapons could somehow hurt them with no one wielding them. The other women were rouges; Tough girls trying to look more tough by _proving _they weren't afraid. This girl who stood before him now, she was neither.

She didn't come into his shop and come straight to the desk, afraid to touch anything lest it taint them. Nor did she barge in, demanding the roughest, toughest blade in the place. This girl, this girl he was certain knew something about that missing marine, took in every inch of his shop like a child in a toy store.

"Pardon me, miss, but I haven't introduced myself. I'm Duke, Forest Creek's weaponry merchant." The man gave a flourished bow as he spoke, waggling his fuzzy eyebrows. Tashigi was momentarily distracted as she thought they looked like black caterpillars crawling on his forehead.

"Hello…I'm, uh…Utomi Katarina." Tashigi gave a weak smile, trying not to look at his eyebrows or the shabby eye patch covering his left eye. Inwardly, she berated herself for stuttering. She needed to be quicker if she was to be believable. It was bad enough that she was winging it, let alone that she couldn't come up with a simple name when distracted.

"Well, then, _Katarina, _mind you tell me why ya got that missin girl's sword on yer hip?" Duke chuckled as he watched the horror spread across the girl's face. Lucky for her, he was in no position to turn anyone in to the marine's.

Truth be told, he was a pirate, at least, he was. Dark-Eye Duke had been a wanted man for years, but he managed to give the navy the slip when he happened upon Forest Creek. He settled on the island, and had enjoyed anonymity ever since. He wasn't about to risk that for a measly 1,000,000-beli reward.

"Relax, sweet thing. I ain't turnin' no one in. Rewards not worth the trouble. Seems to me though, if ya don't start actin' a bit smarter, them marine's ain't gonna have trouble findin' your pretty little behind."

Tashigi was flabbergasted. She had been in town all of five minutes before a decrepit, one-eyed old man had linked her to her real self. She needed to hide out until she could think of a better plan. Or, she needed to face the music and head to Autumn Haven. The thought of facing her failings turned her stomach…she wasn't quite ready for that.

Duke watched the girl that called herself Katarina from the corner of his good eye. He continued to polish the dagger in his hand, waiting for her response. She obviously knew what he was talking about, and the truth was, he didn't really care if she did do in a marine and steel her sword. The only part that didn't fit was the glasses. Why on earth would the girl be wearing the marine's glasses?

"If yer eyesight be that bad, darlin', ya might be wantin to ditch that girl's glasses and get ya a new pair. Draws attention…"

"I don't know what you're talking about…Duke…I just happen to have a sword that looks like hers and the same glasses. I didn't do anything to her. I'm innocent." Tashigi stood rod stiff, her cheeks coloring as she tried her best to look angered by the merchants words instead of merely uncomfortable.

"Well, all the same, with a missin' marine, ya might want to ditch the sword and get new glasses. Just to be safe, of course." Duke winked at her as he put the now polished dagger in its display case.

Tashigi thought over his words. Glasses she could do no problem. But her sword was a part of her. There was no way she could get rid of it. She just had to lay low until she could get her own ship…her heart sank. Getting a ship of her own meant years of saving. She had no access to her savings back in Louge Town, and only 10,000 beli in her pocket. She needed help.

"Duke…I'm in need of your services." Tashigi began, forcing her voice to be strong.

"I need to disguise my sword's hilt, but I don't want to permanently alter it. It would change the whole balance of the blade…can you do it?" Tashigi asked, thankful she kept her voice strong.

"Hmmm…I could always change the leather for ya. Wouldna change the balance much…maybe adds something to the sheath so ya can't see the hilt as much…I could do it. My price is 30,000 beli for a job like that." Duke said, scratching his scruffy chin with his worked fingers.

"30,000 beli! That's a rip off! I could do it for half that if I had the tools. Less even!"

"Alright, girly, I like ya…how much ya got? Ya still need new glasses and provisions I assume…we'll make a deal." Duke said, his good eye twinkling at the fury he saw in this little girl.

"I can afford 7,000 beli. No more." Tashigi said, irritated at the smug look on Duke's face.

"Well, the way I see it, that be less than a quarter of me askin price. So, either I do a quarter of the job…or ya find a way ta pay me. Give me the 7,000 up front. That'll pay for the tools ya be needin to fix up that sword. Ya can use the back o the shop."

"Deal."

* * *

The path was ruined. It was obvious that someone, probably that marine, had entered the forest, but the path had been used by wild game since then. It looked as though a heard of wild deer had trampled it while feasting on the raspberry's along the path. Braches were broken in every direction, and the heard seemed to have bedded down and erased any traces of footprints. To top it off, Zoro had a lousy sense of direction, and before he knew it, he was lost.

Sighing in defeat, the swordsman closed his eyes and raised his sword out in front of him. Concentrating on Wadou's spirit, he let the sword guide him. Feeling the blade fall heavy to his left, he pointed his boots in that direction and started walking. Kuina had never steered him wrong before. Today, he would let her guide him

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Don't worry, Zoro and Tashigi will meet soon! We'll also find out what happened with Smoker. For those of you concerned, just trust me. We'll find out why he was so ooc. Try not to flame me too badly about that until you get to the end. If you still feel badly about smoker at the final chapter…flame away!

Everything has a reason, and those reasons will help Zoro and Tashigi find their true paths in life. TRUST ME;)


	4. If I Were a Blackbird

Chapter 4 If I Were a Blackbird

Tashigi sighed as she thought back on the last few days. She had been "missing" for almost a week now, and she was starting to feel a bit more comfortable with her situation. Largely in part to Duke, of course. In fact, if it hadn't been for him, she would most likely have had a much worse time of things. She smiled to herself as she thought back to her first night with the crotchety old man.

It just so happened that Duke had a room, and it just so happened that Tashigi found herself in need of one. After paying him a just amount, Tashigi found herself walking up a rickety, dusty, spider infested stairwell. She kept her eyes trained foreword at the dingy door at the landing, ignoring the grime collecting under her fingertips as she sliped her hand along the railing.

Duke had warned her that the room wasn't set up for guests. Most people on the island stayed at the Inn, not at a weaponry. However, the room was there. Tashigi held fast to the skeleton key in her hand. The door looked old, and when she reached the landing, she wondered why she even needed the key.

The old wooden door was a dingy gray color, long ago loosing its luster to father time. The wood, most likely a type of pine, was badly warped, making the rusty latch useless. Tashigi pocketed the key; she couldn't lock something that couldn't even be latched. Gingerly, she pushed the door open, apprehensive to see what lay before her.

The room itself was better than she expected, but not Navy material, that was for certain. The room had been converted from the attic. The a-frame ceiling was unfinished, and the happy spiders had built a Mecca of webs in the rafters. The floor was thick with dust, as was every other surface in the room. One small window sat directly under the peak of the ceiling, allowing the late afternoon sunlight to illuminate the dust floating through the air.

A small bed sat to her right, and Tashigi forced herself not to think about what could have nested in the soft mattress. Beside the bed sat a nightstand, thankfully with an oil lamp. Across the room was a closet…that Tashigi felt was best to leave closed, considering the circumstances. Lastly, next to the closet was a small, four-drawer dresser with a mirror hanging on the wall behind it. It may have been dirty, dusty, and infested, but she would make do. Besides, she was a strong swordsman…she could handle a few spiders.

It was well after nightfall that Tashigi managed to finish cleaning the room. Thankfully, it seemed that spiders were the only scampering creatures that inhabited the room. Duke (rather sheepishly) had even brought up a fresh set of bed cloths for her. Tashigi smiled kindly, but couldn't help but feel that maybe the old man was a little embarrassed. Whether it was because of the condition of the room or the fact that he was standing in what was now her bedroom, she wasn't quite sure. Either way, she was touched that what she thought meant something to the hard man.

Once the sheets were on the bed and turned down, Tashigi felt it was time to turn in. It had been a long, grueling day, and she was more exhausted than she had been on her first day of boot camp. Her boots felt like they were a part of her foot as she peeled them off her feet. She vaguely recalled that she had been wearing them ever since she deserted Smoker. A pang of regret twisted in her gut, and she thought she couldn't have felt dirtier if she had cleaned ten of Duke's attics.

Tashigi willed herself not to dwell on the previous nights indiscretions. The wounds were still far too new for a thorough examination. With a heavy sigh, the girl pushed herself off her bed and crossed the room to the mirror. Katarina looked back at her, her hazel eyes framed in Tashigi's red square glasses.

Slowly, Tashigi concentrated on her form. She wanted to see herself. It was unnerving to look in a mirror and see someone else looking back at you. It was amazing, really, to watch as she changed her hair, eyes, face, and body. Though a little worse for wear, Tashigi couldn't help but smile at her own reflection, grateful for once just to be herself again.

Of course, smiles didn't seem to last long on the former marine's face lately.

Duke entered the room, carrying a pitcher of water and a towel, obviously bringing Tashigi something to wash up with. His coal black eye locked on hers and he stopped dead in his tracks. Instead of Katarina, as he expected to find, the missing marine stood in his attic, looking every bit as shocked as he felt.

* * *

Tashigi smiled as she remembered the dumbfounded look on Duke's face as he stared at her. It had taken a lot of reassurances and explanations on her part to get him to pick his jaw up off the ground and close his mouth, but it was worth it when she demonstrated her skills with the mask mask fruit.

To say Duke was impressed would be an understatement. Ever since that night the old salt had been especially fond of Tashigi. He even out his skills as a smith to work, casting and working over a light metal to form new frames for the lenses of her glasses. It was a pleasant surprise to Tashigi, not to mention how relieved she was to not have to worry about one of the only things to link her to the missing marine.

However, her sword was another story all together. Duke did as he promised. The sheath of Shigure had been altered to help hide the hilt. Tashigi glanced at Shigure propped up against the back wall of the weaponry. She couldn't help but admire Duke's delicate craftsmanship. The top of the sheath was now adorned with an intricate, highly feminine false cage guard. The cage guard was made of interwoven polished brass, curving and curling like passionately beguiling vines. When Shigure was at rest in its sheath, it looked more like thick handles rapier than a katana. Duke also did his best to hide the sheath, too. Thin brass wires were twisted into sweeping, curling vines and leaves, the most beautiful filigree Tashigi had even set eyes on. She had always hated being a woman swordsman, but now, when she looked at the delicate, yet strong sword, she felt a powerful, emotional surge of pride.

Shigure itself had yet to be altered. Duke felt it was Tashigi's decision to modify her sword, and left her to it. However, it was easier said than done. Any changes to the sword could completely throw it off balance. Not only that, Tashigi couldn't bear to change something she already felt was perfect. Shigure was a part of her soul, and at moment, Tashigi was quite happy putting off the alterations until she was closer to being able to leave the island. With Duke's beautiful work, she was able to walk around town with her sword and not draw attention.

Tashigi pushed the thoughts of her sword from her head and instead concentrated on the task in front of her. Duke had put her to work to pay for her room and board. She now sat outside behind the weaponry, looking into the thick forest. Before her was a stone sharpening wheel, pedal operated and anchored to a table. A barrel of dull blades was on her left, and a pile of sharpened blades to her right. Tashigi listened to herself as she busied herself with sharpening blades. High in one of the forest's many trees, a blackbird whistled a happy little tune, and Tashigi remembered a song she had heard many years ago from a young sailor woman. Smiling, Tashigi let the words tumble out of her mouth to an old, familiar tune…

_Oh, if I were a blackbird, could whistle and sing_

_I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in _

_And in the top rigging, I would there build my nest_

_And I'd flutter my wings o'er his broad, golden chest_

* * *

Zoro was about to give up hope traipsing through the woods when his heightened hearing picked up a soft melody floating on the breeze. A gentle, low, sweet voice drifted by him, and he couldn't help but feel overjoyed. He had to be near someone who could direct him to the Islands town, or possibly near the town. He couldn't help but also think of the reason why he was in the middle of some god-forsaken forest anyways. Luffy wanted a musician. As quietly as he could, Zoro made his way towards the voice.

It wasn't too much longer before not only the girls voice but also a familiar grinding sound reached his ears. Someone was sharpening a steel blade. Now on full alert, Zoro made his way to what seemed the edge of the woods. He could make out a row of buildings and the sounds of people. It looked like he found the town.

Stealthily, he peeked through the bushes and his eyes settled on the source of the sweet melody. A young girl sat sharpening blades behind a shop, most likely the local weaponry, while she sang. She was a plain girl, with chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes hidden behind wire rimmed glasses. She wasn't unpleasant to look at by any means, but Zoro doubted if the ass-hole cook would bother himself to fall all over the girl like he did Nami, Robin, and Vivi.

Her words reached his ears again as she set the now sharpened blade in a pile with the others. Zoro stopped and listened, eager to hear the words to go along with her melody.

_I sailed o'er the ocean, my fortune to seek_

_But I missed his caresses, and his kiss on my cheek_

_I returned and I old him, my love was still warm_

_He turned away softly, but great was my scorn._

_Oh, if I were a blackbird, could whistle and sing_

_I'd follow the vessel my true love sails in _

_And in the top rigging, I would there build my nest_

_And I'd flutter my wings o'er his broad, golden chest_

Her song was breathtaking, and even the hardened swordsman felt moved. Zoro thought she was perfect. She could sing, which made her good in Luffy's book. She was plain, so that perverted cook would leave her alone (therefore not annoy Zoro when he was trying to sleep). She was female, so she would room with Nami and Robin, not in the already overcrowded men's quarters. But perhaps the best thing was that she could obviously sharpen a blade, which made her _useful. _Singing, in Zoro's book, wasn't very useful, no matter of great she was…but with her and her skills, he had the best of everything. He was going to have to _really _pour on the charm, because he wasn't letting this one go, no matter what.

* * *

Smoker paced his quarters, chewing on the end of his cigars. It had been week since Tashigi had jumped ship, and she hadn't turned up anywhere. The worst-case scenarios ran through his head. It was the Grand Line, after all, and any number of terrible things could have happened. She could have been stranded, capsized and eaten by sharks, or left to float the grand line in an escape boat with nothing but her sword and the cloths on her back. She could have been captured by pirates, tortured, and raped. Smoker shuddered as the thought of rape ran through his mind.

Wasn't what he did no better than rape? Yes, Tashigi had been willing, but he used her and then discarded her. He didn't know what to do after it had happened. Regrets and shame swirled through his head like smoke. He loved Hina, and he had just slept with a subordinate. Not just any subordinate, but his friend and most loyal marine, Tashigi. He had always tried to guide her and help her, and now, he hurt her and pushed her away.

He glared at the wooden box tucked under his desk. He hadn't been able to bear looking at its contents since that night. If he had known what it would do to him, had he known how he would have reacted, he would have never taken the confiscated devil fruit. How was he to know that you couldn't eat two different devil fruits?

He thought back to when he shook down the pirate that held the fruit. Smoker took the loot from him, images of being all-powerful with devil fruit powers coursing through him danced before his eyes. He roughly shook the now sobbing pirate, demanding to know the power the fruit contained. Hiccupping, the pirate chocked out two words…Mask Mask.

There were two berries on the stem. From experience, Smoker knew that he only needed to consume one berry to obtain its powers, and that night, he did just that in his chambers. He called for Tashigi, eager to share his new power with her, and to give her the other berry. He wanted his number two man, or woman, to be as effective as possible, and he could think of no other way than to offer the fruit to her. He eagerly awaited not only her arrival, but also the feeling of change that accompanied consuming the fruit.

As he waited, he thought about Tashigi and how proud of her he was. She had improved a lot over the years, and though she may not be graceful in her day-to-day actions, she was a superb fighter. The more he thought about it, the more he started to admire the girl. Before he knew it, his proud feeling began to take a more lewd turn.

Fighting the images from his head, Smoker instead chose to think about defeating the Straw Hats with his new power. But the feeling wasn't good. Instead he felt anger, more anger than he had ever felt before. The Straw Hats shouldn't be a concern for him. He should have beaten them a long time ago, without the devil fruit powers.

He hadn't realized it at the time, but thinking back, he should have realized that he was feeling more intense emotions than normal. When he saw Tashigi enter the room, something in him snapped. Every emotion he had ever felt bubbled to the surface, and he needed release. He needed to get rid of the feeling…the rage, hate, and lust, pride… he needed to release it all. Standing before him was a beautiful young woman, and at the time nothing seemed better at the time.

After Tashigi left, Smoker contacted Hina. He needed every island this side of the Grand Line to have missing persons poster of Tashigi in every window. Of course, Hina was curious as to why Smoker's best marine had gone missing. Before he could stop himself, Smoker found himself confessing all.

To say Hina was pissed would be a grave error. She was beyond pissed, but not for the reason Smoker had thought she would be. She explained through clipped words that no one could have more than one devil fruit power. If a person tried, their body would react violently, with one of the symptoms being uncontrolled emotion. Eventually, the fruit's essence would work its way out of the body or be rejected all together. Smoker had been an idiot (in Hina's words) for even trying it.

The whole situation made Smoker even more determined to find Tashigi. He needed to explain that he wasn't in control of himself. It was that damn devil fruit. Again, Smoker glared at the innocent looking box under his desk. With as much rage as a charging bull, Smoker kicked the box out from under the desk. Angrily, he picked up the cracked box and tore the lid off it's remaining hinge.

There was no fruit. Smoker's gut twisted and writhed. Suddenly, he understood why no one had _seen _Tashigi.

* * *

Author's Note 

THERE! That's the reason why Smoker slept with Tashigi and treated her so badly! He had _no control over himself! _Poor guy! He did something terrible to someone he cared deeply about, and now she could be in danger, and he can't find her!

I never, ever, ever, bash characters or turn them into bad guys. I will never make any character pull a scrappy-doo. Smoker was simply turned into a plot device. Originally, I was going to toss the idea. However, the story just wouldn't have worked.

I sincerely hope this puts to rest any thoughts about Smoker being severely OOC. However, I will admit, I don't have a good feeling for Smoker's character, so I'll be doing the best I can with what I know from now on.

Happy reviewing!


	5. At Last They Meet

Author's Note: Sorry this chapter seems to feel so short, especially after a long wait. But, there's a reason for it. My chapters are going to be more slow going from now on. Between my wedding being only a month away, working a full-time job, my house needing to be cleaned from top to bottom before the wedding, and the most massive allergy attack ever (I'm allergic to tree pollen, and here in Ohio, the trees are budding) I've had no time for this fic.

I did however have a bachelorette party, a bridal shower, a final dress fitting, and got all my thank you notes and invitations written, addresses, stuffed and mailed out. In short, I'm pooped, so enjoy this chapter, it may be the last for a while!

* * *

Chapter 5 At Last, They Meet

The young girl sharpening the blades continued her sad song, blissfully unaware that she was being watched. Zoro couldn't believe his luck. He hadn't even stepped foot in the town and he had already found the perfect addition to the crew. All he had to do now was convince a young girl to join a wanted pirate crew.

Zoro smirked to himself and thought 'I've been in tougher spots.'

Slowly, he stepped out of the foliage and into the yard behind the shop. The girl must have been in her own little world, because she completely missed the tall, green haired man with three swords standing directly in front of her. She stopped her tune momentarily to inspect the blade in her hand. Zoro decided that now was as good as any to let himself be known and cleared his throat loudly.

* * *

Tashigi loved the old bard she was singing. It was haunting, sad, and beautiful all at the same time. The song itself was about unrequited love, but to Tashigi, it was more. To her, the song stood for love, for better or for worse. It stood for memories lost and loved ones found. She may have been a marine and a swordsman, but she was still a woman, and her heart cried out with this song.

She had been sharpening the blade in her hand without thought to the task, putting herself in autopilot as she let her mind wander. Drifting back into reality, Tashigi stopped her song and inspected the now razor-sharp blade. Just like the ten before it, it was a terribly cheap sword. However, it would sell well and do in a pinch if someone needed a replacement.

Again, Tashigi's mind wandered to the last day she spent in her home of Lougetown. She had met Roranoa Zoro, and all he could afford were katanas like the one she held now. She had helped him, not knowing who he was, impressed by him even, and he managed to leave with two legendary swords because of her help.

The memory was a source of bitter anger for Tashigi, and she was in the midst of her irate sentiments when the sound of someone clearing his throat met her ears. She looked up startled and gasped. The object of her rage was standing before her, a cordial smile plastered on his face. Tashigi felt like she was moving underwater. Her every movement seemed slow and heavy. Her mouth hung open in shock, and she barely registered to look of shock on his face as she felt a white hot pain shoot through her palm.

Suddenly, it seemed like time sped back up, crashing into reality. Tashigi gasped as she held her hand, blood gushing out and falling onto the blade that now rested at her feet. She lost her concentration in her pain, and she could feel her body begin to change to its genuine self. Quickly, she concentrated on the form she named Katarina, trying her best to block out the pain. Tashigi kept her eyes shut tight, refusing to think about anything but her disguise.

* * *

He should have known not to startle the girl when she had a freshly sharpened sword in her hand. The girl looked up, obviously scared, and let the blade slip across her palm. Zoro could see time slow down as he watched the sword fall to her feet, blood gushing from her palm like a spring. However, it wasn't the injury that had him rooted to the spot.

Zoro could have sworn for an instant there the woman standing before him was Tashigi. But, before he could register the image in his head, it was gone. The swordsman shook his head violently. It was bad enough Kuina haunted his dreams; he didn't need that damned marine doing the same. Quickly, he crossed the yard to the girl, now holding her eyes shut as tightly as she held her gushing palm.

He took the girl's pale hand in his own, marveling at the small, delicate size. Zoro pressed a rag from the table to the wound, trying his best to staunch the bleeding and ease her pain. The girl's breathing was shallow, and she still wouldn't open her eyes, so Zoro instead concentrated on her wound.

As the bleeding ebbed, so did the pain. Tashigi tried her hardest to suppress a shudder, but still, it escaped. Slowly, she opened one eye to peak at pirate attending her hand. He was concentrating on her hand, but must have sensed being watched because he glanced up nervously at her face.

"I…I'm really sorry for startling you." Zoro said, his voice low and rumbling.

Tashigi couldn't speak. Here was the man she hated more than any other, the man at the very top of her shit list, cradling her hand like a treasure. She gasped as she felt him run his thumb over her wrist, again repressing the shivers that ran down her spine. Maybe…Maybe Smoker was at the top of the list…Zoro was number two.

"Why don't you sit down?" Zoro whispered as he guided her back to her chair.

He felt terrible. This girl looked terrified, and that certainly wasn't how he wanted to introduce himself. He'd be lucky if he got her name at this point, let alone got her to join the crew. He decided to try to smooth things over, and if everything went well, maybe he still had a chance at getting her to follow him.

"I heard you singing from the woods, it was really nice." He tried, hoping to get a response out of her.

Tashigi heard Zoro's voice, but his words didn't register. Nervously, she looked for Shigure, still propped up against the back of the building. If she could just get to her sword, she could defend herself…

Zoro loosened his grip as he felt the girl shift slightly, indicating she was getting ready to bolt. He didn't want to scare her by not letting her go, it would only make matters worse, and he would actually have to spend more time looking for a musician. Suddenly, she bolted up and tried to run, however, the girl didn't quite make it. She began to wobble as she ran, and Zoro quickly grabbed her and pulled her to his chest before she could fall.

If Tashigi hadn't just lost so much blood, she would have blushed. She was pressed against a very hard, very defined chest. Zoro held her firmly, but not painfully against his warm body. He smelled like musk and seawater, and Tashigi couldn't help but finally look up at his face. Concerned eyes found her own, and she felt his chest rumble as he spoke.

"You lost a lot of blood, you shouldn't try to get up so quickly."

"Let-me-go." Tashigi ground out between clenched teeth and tight lips.

Zoro couldn't help but cock a smile. Where the hell did she think she was going to go when she was pinned to him? Zoro nearly laughed when he realized he wanted nothing more than to tease this little girl. He wanted to let her run so he could catch her again, maybe even entice her to use one of those swords she had been sharpening. But the rational side, or the side that didn't feel like looking for another candidate for Luffy, won over. He was going to be sweet, he was sure it couldn't be that hard.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Why don't you let me take you to someone who can patch up that hand for you?"

"If your not going to hurt me, then why is my hand sliced open? And I'm not going anywhere with you." Tashigi spat, narrowing her eyes behind her new wire rim glasses.

"Come on, give a guy a break! It was an accident!" Zoro cried, getting more than a little irritated with the little waif.

Zoro still had Tashigi pinned to his chest, and the two were glaring daggers into the other's eyes. Zoro was reminded of the last girl he had pinned down, about how she starred at him with the same fury and hatred. The memory made him squeeze the young thing in his arms harder.

It seemed as though the two had spent eternity glaring at each other when a voice cut through the tension radiating through the air.

"If I told ya once, I told ya a thousand times! There ain't no girl staying here but me niece, an she's out right now! Now, unless you be buyin somthin, get out!"

Tashigi stiffened as she heard Duke argue with his 'customers'. She had no doubt in her mind that the navy had come looking for her, trying to tie up loose strings. She struggled against her captor to free herself, desperate to hide. Again, her eyes darted to the sword propped up against the side of the shop.

Zoro watched as the girl her was holding began to wriggle in his grasp. Her eyes darted from side to side, obviously looking for an escape. Zoro craned his neck to look around the building to the street, eager to see who was looking for the allusive "girl". His eye widened as he caught sight of a man in a navy uniform.

Just great. The navy was here. If he couldn't get the girl to come with him, he'd have to leave without her. He took one more look at the girl's face and loosened his grip. She threw herself out of his embrace, violently pushing strands of mousy brown hair out of her face.

Tashigi wanted nothing better than to give that jack ass a piece of her mind, but she didn't want to drawn attention to herself, especially when the navy was prowling about. Again her eyes darted to her sword. There was no easy way to get to it, seeing as how Roranoa Zoro was between her and Shigure. She was going to have to wait it out until he left, because she sure as hell wasn't going to leave her sword unattended with him.

Fate, however, had another plan.


	6. Into the Woods

Okay, I lied. I had some extra time between taking benadryl and blowing my nose last night and I finished the second half of the last chapter. Chapter 7 will be longer, promise!

* * *

Chapter 6 Into the Woods

He was going soft. There was no other explanation. There was no other reason why he, the famous pirate, would put up with this crap. He'd killed men for less, but still, here he was. Maybe he felt sorry for her, or maybe he was just lonely and too stubborn to admit it. Either Way, Tashigi was getting to be far too much for the old man to handle.

Duke sighed as he walked to the back of the shop to fetch the girl. At first, he hadn't thought that the Navy would be sniffing around such a tiny little island, but he had been wrong. Word on the street was that Captain Smoker was real keen to find his Sergeant Major, and he was probing any island within a night's sailing distance from where she disappeared.

It seemed the navy had been poking around an asking questions, and some of the villagers had mentioned that Duke had a niece show up out of nowhere right after the Sergeant Major went missing. Word was, Smoker wanted anybody who sailed to the island checked out. Duke may have been an old salt, but he wasn't stupid. Smoker had to have known Tashigi ate the Mask Mask fruit, and he knew she would be in disguise.

Duke had heard about Smoker by reputation. He was a hunter of all who did injustice, and the whole grand line was a buzz about what happened. A crew called the Straw Hats had escaped Smoker along with the second in command of White Beard's crew. He was a relentless man that wouldn't stop until he captured the bandits. Duke grimaced. That was all he needed, the navy hanging around and discovering who he really was. He needed a plan, not only to keep Tashigi safe, but himself as well.

Duke took a dreg from the beaten silver flask on his hip. He didn't really know how he was going to approach the girl, and he certainly didn't want to ask her to leave, but for both of their safeties, she needed to go. Reattaching the flask to his hip, Duke steeled himself and pushed open the back door.

What he saw was simply flabbergasting. There was Tashigi, well Katarina as she liked to be called when disguised, having a stare down with one of the most notorious men on the grand line. There wasn't a decent pirate alive who wouldn't recognize the ex-pirate hunter turned pirate Roranoa Zoro, and boy, did he look pissed. For that matter, so did she. Duke studied her for a minute before his eyes caught sight of the bloody rag clutched in Tashigi's right hand.

"You two mind tellin' an old man how she got cut up, or are ya just gonna keep starin' until one of ya's goes blind?" Duke asked, his one good eyebrow arched high above his eye.

Duke chuckled when both young swordsmen jumped a few inches off the ground. Both, though extensively trained, were so intent on each other that they hadn't seen or heard the old man approach.

Zoro's eyes narrowed at the girl when she failed to respond. He sure as hell wasn't going to offer up that she was careless and let a newly sharpened blade slip. The girl returned his glare, but spoke regardless.

"He startled me, the sword slipped, and I sliced my hand." Tashigi offered, never breaking off her stare. She wasn't about to let him out of her sight. Just because she wasn't a marine any longer did mean she couldn't serve justice! That was the whole reason he left! Tashigi bristled; she needed her sword to fight him. Zoro would break through any of the cheap swords that lay at her feet, only Shigure would do.

Duke approached from her right side and grabbed her arm.

"We need to speak, now. The navy's been snoopin around! It ain't safe no more!" Duke whispered in her ear. Tashigi shrugged him off, keeping one eye on Zoro, and one eye on Shigure. It was obvious to Duke that he'd have to try another approach.

"You're the pirate hunter, aren't ya?" Duke directed to Zoro.

Zoro's attention went from the hellcat in front of him to the old man "What of it?" He asked.

"I hear you're a pirate now boy, big bounty on yer head. The navy's been crawling all over this island. Come inside before you're seen." Duke gestured to the door.

Zoro nodded to the old man. He figured he was the one he heard arguing with the marines, and this girl was his niece he spoke of. He seriously doubted at this point that he would get his musician, but if he went inside, he argued to himself, he could at least score some rum before slinking off to his little boat and his Nakama.

Duke stood in the doorway, waiting for Zoro to follow. He only hoped Tashigi would follow as well. He needed to find a way to get her to leave, and this swordsman might be the ticket he needed.

Zoro moved towards the door, ignoring the detestation radiating off the girl. The sun was beginning to set, and Zoro thought that perhaps traveling through the night would be his best bet at avoiding the Navy. The orange sun blazed to the west, casting bright rays as it slipped past the horizon. Zoro regarded the Sun, noting the time, and noticed something glinting in the evening sun. A delicate sword propped up against the shop.

The brass filigree on the sheath and cage flashed in the sun, but it wasn't the feminine touch that made Zoro forget the door and go for the sword instead, it was that hilt. He swore to himself that he had seen that blade before, and by the way his gut was twisting, he was certain he knew where.

Tashigi gasped as she saw Zoro walking towards her sword. '_NO!' _She screamed in her head. '_No no, no! He can't have it! I have to do something!' _

But before she could get her weakened body to move, Zoro had picked up Shigure, and pulled it from the altered sheath. Tashigi hadn't the heart to change the actual sword. She figured that with what she would be using it for, anyone who recognized it wouldn't be able to repeat what he or she saw once she had delivered justice. Oh how she regretted that decision now.

Zoro slowly turned to her, holding out Shigure in front of him, scowling at the girl, the girl he thought to simply be a sword smith's niece. When he spoke, his words were slow and deliberate.

"Where did you get this sword, and what have you done to it?" Zoro growled.

"I…" Tashigi was shocked. Panic set in well before her mind could function. It was Duke who again came to the rescue.

"It was given to my niece for safe keepin'. The sword needed to be disguised to not draw attention. Now, if ya want to know more, ya gots to come inside, otherwise, give her back her sword."

"It isn't her sword." Zoro stated flatly.

"And it isn't your sword either, now give me Shigure!" Tashigi shouted.

The three stood in stunned silence by the girl's outburst. Not even the birds dared chip. The only sound that could be heard was men shouting.

All three heads whipped around as they heard voices shouting. Tashigi's outburst had alerted the navy, and they were coming closer to investigate.

"Sweet thing, you have to listen to me! It's not safe here anymore. They know you're here. You have to run, girl! Forget everything else and run!" Duke urged, pushing Tashigi towards the woods.

Zoro suddenly didn't care about the sword in his hand. This girl, was hiding from the navy? She also had Tashigi's sword, and it was quite obvious to him that it was important to her. He smiled, his devious side winning out over his good. If he couldn't get her to come with him with charm, he'd use other means.

"Seems to me you need some help. I happen to need another crewmember. Come with me, and I'll keep you safe from the Marines." Zoro smiled to himself, quite proud.

"Screw you!" Tashigi yelled, pushing Duke off her.

"Suit yourself." Zoro smiled. He had expected that. It was time to play the trump.

"Either way, I'm keeping this sword. I know who it belongs to, and if I'm not mistaken, the little hound dog will sniff me out before too long. I want to see the look on her face when she sees I have her precious sword." Zoro fastened Shigure to his sword free hip and turned to walk back into the woods, hiding his triumphant smile from the Uncle and Niece. The sounds of the approaching navy were drawing closer. It was now or never.

Before he was two steps into the forest he found himself side by side with the girl. She was pissed, but she was walking with him. He could even hear her grinding her teeth before she spoke.

"Where that sword goes, I go."


End file.
